British special forces reportedly carried out daring surveillance mission
before the attack

British SAS soldiers reportedly joined American special forces on a mission to kill a senior Islamic State commander deep inside eastern Syria earlier this year.

The elite troops carried out surveillance on Abu Sayyaf for the US-led mission before their allies attacked and killed him.

British troops wore US uniform during the operation, the Mail on Sunday reported, as they were flown to Deir ez-Zor by Osprey aircraft to spy on the commander who oversaw the militants’ lucrative black market oil and gas trade.

Digging in and mounting a constant watch of his base, the soldiers determined he was present and fed back details of its fortifications and guards to the Americans.

The compound was then attacked by US jets and 50 heavily armed troops from Delta Force, the US Army’s equivalent of the SAS.